This application claims priority to Australian application number PQ 1793, filed Jul. 22, 1999.
This invention relates to a catapult assembly. In particular, this invention relates to an assembly suitable for training retriever dogs or for use in field trials and hunt tests.
The training of retriever dogs has traditionally involved throwing an object, such as a duck, a pigeon or a retrieving dummy, and practising the retrieving dog in retrieving the object. The proficiency of retriever dogs can be measured in field trial or hunt tests, which are basically types of simulated hunting tests for dogs.
In the past, it has been common for a retrieving object to be simply thrown by hand. This is labour intensive and usually involves several assistants for the trainer.
In another form of prior art, the birds or dummies to be retrieved have been ejected into the air by single shot, manually loaded catapults. These generally require two or more people to operate efficiently and consequently restrict the ability of a single trainer to train or practise his dogs for field trials and hunt tests. In addition, prior art catapults need to be manually loaded after one shot.
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome or substantially alleviate some or all of the disadvantages suffered by the prior art.
This invention deals with several aspects in relation to training of retriever dogs and conducting field trials and hunt tests. In one aspect, this invention provides a catapult assembly including:
a launching pouch;
tensioning means for the pouch;
a carriage movable between first and second positions;
means for connecting the pouch to the carriage at or near the first position;
means for drawing the connected pouch and carriage to or near the second position while tensioning the tensioning means;
means for automatically feeding a retrieving object into the pouch when at or near the second position; and
release means for disconnecting the pouch from the carriage.
In the assembly of the invention, the launching pouch preferably comprises a cradle of aluminium or the like. To reduce weight, the aluminium cradle may include a plurality of apertures. The launching pouch may be made of any other suitable material.
The tensioning means may take any desirable form but, in a preferred embodiment, the tensioning means comprises a plurality of strong elastic or rubber bands, optionally operated via pulleys. While the invention is not limited in this respect, the preferred number of bands is four since it is believed that this can provide smoothness in launching the retrieving object from the pouch. However, the assembly of the invention can cater for retrieving objects of different weights. In the case of retrieving objects which are relatively heavy, such as ducks, it may be desirable to use more than four bands, for example, six bands. The bands may be flat or round, or a mixture of these shapes.
When the tensioning means comprises rubber bands, each is preferably anchored in a suitable location and attached to the pouch by a rope and pulley system. In another embodiment, each rubber band may be mounted on a roller situated near the pouch. It is a further option to include a guide to ensure, as far as possible, that the rubber bands are retained in position on the rollers when the pouch is launched.
The means for drawing the connected power and carriage to the region of the second position may also comprise any suitable means. In the preferred embodiment described in the drawing, these means include a machine screw driven by an electric motor powered by a battery.
The means for automatically feeding a retrieving object into the pouch when the pouch is in the region of the second position is preferably capable of holding a plurality of retrieving objects, for example, six retrieving objects. These means may include a number of cylinders, such as six, preferably arranged in a circular pattern on a pair of plates, which form a drum. In this embodiment, each cylinder is open at each end. Continuing with this embodiment, the drum is mounted over a base plate which comprises a disc with one cylinder-shaped cut-out (the edges of which are slightly curved so that there are no sharp edges to cause damage to the retrieving objects). To automatically feed a retrieving object from the automatic feeding means into the pouch, the drum is rotated by suitable means until one of the cylinders lines up with the cut-out in the base plate. The retrieving object which has been previously inserted in that cylinder then falls, through the influence of gravity, into the pouch. The assembly is then ready for release of the pouch from the carriage so that the retrieving object can be thrown in the desired manner. The means for rotating the drum in this embodiment may be any suitable means. One example is described in connection with the drawings, below.
Preferably, the drum containing the cylinder is demountable from the assembly for transportation, as may the base plate. It is also preferred that the drum is supplied in at least two different sizes so far as the cylinders are concerned. In this way, the assembly of the invention can be used to catapult game of different sizes. For example, the cylinders of one drum may be sized to accept pigeons, while the cylinders of a larger drum may be sized to accept ducks or pheasants.
It is also preferred that the drum is easily changed in the field, preferably without the need of tools.
The carriage is preferably assembled on a frame. In this embodiment, the pouch is located at an upper end of the frame and accordingly the first position is at the upper end. It is also preferred that the second position represents the xe2x80x9ccockedxe2x80x9d position and that this is located at the lower end of the frame.
The means for connecting the pouch to the carriage at or near the first position may take any desirable form. One particularly preferred form is described below in connection with the drawings. In that embodiment, a hook on the back of the pouch is connected by means of a latch to the carriage. In this embodiment, the release means include a trigger which causes the latch to disconnect from the hook, thus releasing the pouch. The release means may be the same as or similar to known cross-bow release mechanisms.
It is greatly preferred that the catapult assembly of the invention is capable of remote control. In particular, it is desirable that the apparatus of the invention can be controlled remotely to operate the release means to release the pouch. For example, a radio frequency receiver may be attached to or communicate with the electric motor, so that the motor can be controlled by a remote radio transmitter.
Preferably, the assembly of the invention is mounted on wheels and is demountable for transportation. It is contemplated that, at least in some embodiments, the assembly of the invention can be demountable into a form which will fit into the trunk of a typical vehicle. In one embodiment, to demount the assembly of the invention, the battery is removed and may have a handle to facilitate this purpose. The wheels supporting the carriage may be removed and the wheel-holding structure collapsed in the same manner as for a known hand-drawn golf buggy. The folded structure, if desired, may be held down with one or more straps. It may be possible to demount the assembly without the need for any tools.
The battery in this embodiment may be mounted in a cradle for easy removal during transportation. The method of mounting and demounting the battery in the cradle can be any suitable method, including those presently used in relation to battery-operated golf buggies. In this embodiment, the battery may be mounted on a cradle on a brace set between a pair of wheels for the assembly, or on a frame for the assembly.
In another aspect, this invention is concerned with training or trialing dogs to retrieve game shot by another person in the field.
Traditionally, in this type of situation, a dog handler or trainer has a dog at heel. There is present also in the field a second person, generally dressed in a white jacket. The second person throws by hand a game object and fires at the object, so that the dog can observe other people hunting. In trials, on command from the handler, the dog is sent to retrieve the object thrown by the other person.
This aspect of the invention is predicated on the concept that it is desirable to simulate the presence of a second person in the field. Further, it is desirable to be able to introduce the presence of that person or to remove it at desired times during trials or training, so that, so far as the dog is concerned, the person appears or disappears (retired gun).
For this purpose, the invention provides, in this further aspect, a training device which includes a silhouette, preferably mounted on a suitable backing material, the silhouette being collapsible. It is particularly preferred that the training device is adapted to be mounted on the catapult assembly of the invention and to be operable in conjunction with the catapult assembly.
The silhouette is preferably coloured white and effected by overlaying or painting on the suitable backing material. By way of example of suitable backing material, the type of woven metal or plastic mesh used in flyscreens may be mentioned. The invention, however, is not limited to this embodiment.
The training device preferably has an upper and a lower frame, with a roller mounted on the upper frame. When closed, the training device may be relatively compact, with the upper frame and the lower frame in close conjunction and the roller situated therebetween. The silhouette and the backing material, if present, are preferably mounted between the lower frame and the roller and adapted to be wound around the roller or unwound from it, as the case may be.
In this embodiment, activation of the training device of the invention to the xe2x80x9cother person presentxe2x80x9d configuration involves urging the upper frame and roller away from the lower frame, at the same time causing the roller to rotate and unwinding the silhouette so that it is revealed. Conversely, activation of the training device of the invention to the configuration where the xe2x80x9cother personxe2x80x9d is not present involves rolling up the silhouette on the roller, the upper frame moving towards the lower frame during this procedure, until the upper frame and roller meet the lower frame.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the training device of the invention has tensioning means, such as an elastic cord, urging the upper frame towards the lower frame. It is also preferred that the training device of the invention has means such as a leaf spring, urging the lower frame away from contact with the upper frame. These elements can assist in the activation of the device of the invention to the two configurations described.
In yet a further aspect, this invention is concerned with a new retrieving object casing suitable for use with the assembly of the invention.
It should be explained that in training and trials for retriever dogs, the retrieving object is normally a bird, such as a pigeon, duck or pheasant, or a retrieving dummy. In the case of ducks or pheasants, these birds have considerably more weight than pigeons and may be launched from the catapult assembly of the invention without any problem. However, in the case of pigeons and sometimes in the case of game birds, it is found that in some instances a pigeon, being of a relatively low body weight, will fall forward in the pouch after having been fed through the automatic feeding means. As a consequence, the pigeon is not properly located in the pouch and launching the pouch does not always cause the pigeon to throw in the desired manner. This aspect of the invention addresses this problem.
Accordingly, the invention provides, in this further aspect, a game casing adapted to embrace an item of game such as a pigeon or game bird to enable the item of game to be appropriately located in a launching pouch in a catapult assembly. Preferably, the catapult assembly is the catapult assembly of the present invention. For convenience, the game casing of the invention will be described in relation to the catapult assembly of the invention but it is to be appreciated that the game casing is not necessarily limited to that environment.
The game casing may be attached to the pouch or separate therefrom. When attached to the pouch, the game casing preferably comprises an incomplete cylinder, made of suitably flexible material, the cylinder being incomplete by reason of a slit or opening along its length. In this embodiment, the slit or opening is located in the game casing upwardly of the launching pouch, so that an item of game embraced by the incomplete cylinder can be projected forwards from the launching pouch via the slit or aperture. It will be appreciated that the material of the game casing, at least in the region of the slit or aperture, needs to be sufficiently flexible so that the launching of the game item from the launching pad is not impeded. Thus, the force applied to the game item during the catapult operation should be sufficient to force apart the walls of the cylinder on each side of the slit or aperture, permitting launching of the game item out of the incomplete cylinder and ensuring a proper flight.
In this embodiment, an item of game such as a pigeon may be fed from a cylinder in the automatic feeding means of the catapult assembly of the invention, into the incomplete cylinder attached to or integral with the launching pouch, the respective cylinders being aligned for this purpose.
In another embodiment, the game casing is separate from the launch pouch. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the game casing has a cup-like base surrounding by a plurality of fingers which, more preferably, flare out from the base. A game item such as a pigeon may be placed inside the casing in this embodiment, with the legs and tail of the pigeon protruding above the flared fingers. The game item (eg. the pigeon or game bird) is preferably inserted in this form of the casing before being fed into a cylinder of the automatic feeding means of the catapult assembly of the invention. The game item together with the casing are then loaded, in due course, into the launching pouch and both the casing and the game item are launched from the catapult assembly. In flight, the casing, which is a loose fit around the game item, falls away from the game item which has considerably greater body weight and does not impede flight. The game casing can be retrieved by the trainer/handler for re-use as desired.
Conveniently, the game casing of the invention in the latter embodiment described above may be formed from the base of a xe2x80x9cP.E.T.xe2x80x9d beverage bottle of one litre capacity or larger, which beverage bottle is well-known. The beverage bottle is cut in half and the upper portion, containing the neck of the bottle, is discarded. The bottom portion already has a base which can comprise the cup-like base of this embodiment of the game casing of the invention. Using scissors or other suitable tool, cuts may be made from the upper part of the bottom portion of the drink bottle towards the cup-like base. This will result in the formation of a plurality of fingers, which tend to flare out and result in an ideal receptacle for embracing a pigeon or game bird. During development of the catapult assembly of the invention, it was found that known retrieving dummies can produce poor results when catapulted from the assembly of the invention. A new retrieving dummy has been devised for use with the assembly of the invention. Accordingly, this invention provides, in yet a further aspect, a retrieving dummy having an elongated body, a nose at one end of the body, the nose being at least partly tapered, one or more fins or flights connected to the opposite end of the body, the dummy having a centre of gravity closer to the nose than the fins or flights.
The dummy may be made of any suitable materialxe2x80x94preferably robust enough to enable the dummy to be used a substantial number of times without deterioration.